We visited Dobbiacco, Italy on the weekend of St. Nicolas Day (12.6) and found ourselves at the center of the Krampus tradition. This extends through much of Tirol, from Salzburg Austria through the Brenner Pass. It is an old German tradition born from a story of St. Nicholas and a companion, sort of an anti-St. Nick. He accompanies St. Nicholas, but brings the dark side. St. Nick brings presents, while the Perchten or Krampus brings only switches for the 
misbehaving children. Salzburg had a 'Krampus-run every night of the first week of advent, and Wikipedia notes a run of over a 1000 devils in Schladming, Austria. The locals said the procession wouuld begin with St. Nicholas, accompanied by some small Krampuses, then followed by the 'big Krampus". When we got to the town center, we never saw St. Nick, but a run of over 100 Krampuses. A 'procession' implies an orderly walk; this was not that. The devils would charge up and down the street harassing onlookers and attempting to hit them with their switches. There was a 'Krampus-free zone', but the devils would charge the barricades, pull the barriers down, or reach over the tops to reach the spectators. Most likely targets were children not paying attention and pretty young women. We started out in an unprotected zone, but after being attacked with switches by various monsters, we moved behind the barricades. There were about a dozen groups from different villages, all with a different theme for their devils. All included natural skins and fur robes, animal horns from goats, sheep, ibex, and chamois, and wore huge bells that clanged when they moved. For effect, they lit off red flares that lent an erie red glow and smoke to the scene. 
misbehaving children. Salzburg had a 'Krampus-run every night of the first week of advent, and Wikipedia notes a run of over a 1000 devils in Schladming, Austria. The locals said the procession wouuld begin with St. Nicholas, accompanied by some small Krampuses, then followed by the 'big Krampus". When we got to the town center, we never saw St. Nick, but a run of over 100 Krampuses. A 'procession' implies an orderly walk; this was not that. The devils would charge up and down the street harassing onlookers and attempting to hit them with their switches. There was a 'Krampus-free zone', but the devils would charge the barricades, pull the barriers down, or reach over the tops to reach the spectators. Most likely targets were children not paying attention and pretty young women. We started out in an unprotected zone, but after being attacked with switches by various monsters, we moved behind the barricades. There were about a dozen groups from different villages, all with a different theme for their devils. All included natural skins and fur robes, animal horns from goats, sheep, ibex, and chamois, and wore huge bells that clanged when they moved. For effect, they lit off red flares that lent an erie red glow and smoke to the scene. 
Josh and Andrea were out when the first ones went by, and he just saw the wooly skins and horns and said, "Look, sheep". Andrea ducked inside before the scary ones came by. More photos and video on FLICKR.
No comments:
Post a Comment